During the Cold War, Brilliant Anti-Tank (BAT) was a manned, unpowered glide bomb that was designed to be fired from an Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). The BAT's 5.5-inch diameter combined with tail fins allowed it to strike at weak points on the armored vehicle and maximize damage to the tank. The submunition was eventually adapted to be used in the United States Air Force, as a glide-bomb, the GBU-44/B Viper Strike.
Brilliant Anti-Tank submunition was originally developed as a payload to an MGM-137B TSSAM ballistic missile. However, it was intended to engage Soviet tanks. Using a new acoustic sensor, the submunition was able to track a target and fire a single shot at the vehicle. The submunition was built to carry an HEAT warhead (high explosive anti-tank) and was optimized for Soviet tanks. However, it was overkill for point targets in urban environments. It also failed to successfully transfer to level flying. To counter this, the warhead was equipped with a tandem charged-charge warhead. The submunition was also designed to carry a laser seeker. The system could operate night or day, and from a large range of distances.
AGM-114 Hellfire, a small precision munition that was made available to air platforms during the Global War on Terror, was the most important. It was however not well-suited for point targets. Its High-Explosive Anti-Tank Warhead (HEAT) was specifically designed for Soviet tanks as well as infantry formations. The HEAT warhead wasn't enough for point targets and it was too strong for precision targets within urban environments. So the Pentagon commissioned a study on the Terminally Guided Anti-Armor Indirect Fire Weapon System (TAAFIW). Later, it was adapted to the Brilliant Anti-Tank Submunition.
The brilliant anti-tank submunition was a part of the "Assault Breaker" project, which was an initiative to develop weapons that could target Soviet armored formations that were buried deep behind front lines. These weapons were able to quickly eliminate large numbers of armored vehicles and give the United States an advantage in future conflict.
Lockheed Martin developed the Brilliant Anti Tank submunition as part of its Army Tactical Missile System. The submunition is designed to engage moving armored vehicles and has a combat range of up to 800 meters. Submunition has an imaging infrared and passive acoustic tip sensors that allow for initial target acquisition. A multi-mode seeker is used to target armored cars.
The Army TACMS Block IA now includes the brilliant anti-tank submarine. This semi-ballistic missile can be used day or night. It can deploy six P3IBAT Brilliant Anti-Armor Submunitions. The Block II ATACMS, a deep attack carrier, can operate all day long and can even operate existing weapons. The block II ATACMS also has an extended range. The block II ATACMS is a precision engagement weapon that uses US missile development expertise.
"Brilliant" weapons are being developed by the Pentagon and have the potential of killing large numbers of armored cars in a matter seconds. They are a crucial part of any defense strategy. The new weapons are also designed to be highly deployable, allowing early-arriving forces to quickly kill armored vehicles, giving them an edge in the battlefield. These "brilliant" new weapons could be a solution to future conflicts like the Gulf War. They may also be used to stop future invasions.